Women's Tennis Powers Past West Florida

Barbi Pocza survived a grueling four and half hour match to clinch the win over the Argonauts. Photo by Joel Auerbach.

MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The fifth-ranked Barry Buccaneers took a grueling 6:57 marathon match from the ninth-ranked West Florida Argonauts 7-2 at the Buccaneer Tennis Center on Wednesday. The match, which started at 2:00 pm, finally finished up at 8:57 pm when Berit Peterson defeated Mariana Sonnervig 7-5, 6-2 at number six singles.

Barry’s Barbi Pocza clinched the match for the Bucs (8-0) with a 6-7 (10), 6-2, 7-5 win over 16th-ranked Barbara Oliviera at number one singles in a match that lasted 4:20.

The Bucs grabbed a 2-1 lead in doubles. Barry’s Angie Werschel and Mia Fiocca defeated Paulina Ojeda and Luiza Sonnervig 8-4 at number two, while West Florida’s Oliviera and Mariana Sonnervig beat Julie Stas and Darya Yablonskaya 8-4 at number three.

At the top flight, Pocza and Yulia Kashelkina went to a tie-breaker with Caitlyn Baines and Taylor Brewster before prevailing 9-8 (7-0) to give the Bucs the lead.

In singles, tenth-ranked Werschel made short work of #33 Ojeda 6-3, 6-1 at number two to put the Bucs up 3-1. But Brewster outlasted Kashelkina 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 at number three to pull the Argonauts to within one at 3-2.

At number four singles, #34 Caroline Wendling came on and ripped through Baines 6-1, 6-2 to put the Bucs on the brink, setting the stage of Pocza’s clincher.

After the match was decided, Fiocca defeated Luiza Sonnervig 6-2, 6-2 at number five and Peterson put the cap on at number six.

The Bucs travel to Savannah, Ga., this weekend to face the top-ranked Pirates of Armstrong Atlantic as well as the Augusta State Jaguars.